Omaha Steaks Raise the Rent on Prepared Meals

Gourmet chefs from the world's top restaurants are designing a new breed of prepared entrees. Omaha Steaks is at the forefront of this new trend, which food industry experts say is invigorating the $85 billion home-meal replacement market and positioning it for a larger share of the $700 billion that Americans spend annually on food eaten at home.

Omaha Steaks' new A La Zing line of complete meals completes its 18-month-long testing period in July and already has been embraced by more than 10-percent of the company's core customers.

A La Zing's 48 entrees, ranging from Rack of Lamb with Artichokes and Boiler Onions, for $ 24.99, to a pair of Filet Mignon Steak dinners, for $29.99, can be ordered online, by mail and by phone for remote delivery, or purchased directly at Omaha Steaks retail outlets. Entrees are shipped in Styrofoam containers.

Moderator Comment: Are there lessons for grocery stores and CPG companies from A La Zing?

Homemade taste used to be the buzz phrase for outstanding food quality. Of course, that was before the advent of the time where American consumers stopped cooking for themselves. Today, restaurant quality is the buzz du jour and A La Zing has the trend pegged with dishes from a "Who's Who" list of internationally renowned chefs. [George Anderson - Moderator]

• Prepared Meals Go Upscale ... Omaha Steaks Leads The Trend - Yahoo